Journalism of Courage
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Donald Trump on Monday, the prime minister’s office said. The call took place soon after Trump wrote on social media that “it is very important that Israel keep dialogue with Syria,” according to Reuters.
Netanyahu’s office said the two discussed moves to disarm Hamas and to demilitarise the Gaza Strip. They also talked about ways for Israel to build relations with countries that do not currently recognise it, Reuters reported.
The office said Trump invited Netanyahu to visit the White House “in the near future”, though no date was given.
An Israeli raid in southern Syria on Friday killed 13 Syrians, Syrian state media reported. The Israeli military said it had targeted a Lebanese Islamist militant group there.
The call with Trump also came a day after Netanyahu asked Israel’s president for a pardon in his long-running corruption trial. Trump has publicly voiced support for pardoning Netanyahu and sent a letter last month urging President Isaac Herzog to consider it.
The prime minister’s readout of the call made no mention of the pardon. Israeli opposition politicians have come out against the request and called on Netanyahu to instead resign.
(With inputs from Reuters)
